Find out how popular the last name Decou is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Decou.

Decou, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Decou surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Decou in America

Decou is the 44730th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Decou surname appeared 480 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Decou.

We can also compare 2010 data for Decou to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Decou

The surname DECOU is of French origin, originating from the northern regions of the country during the late medieval period, around the 14th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French term "de cou," which translates to "of the neck" or "from the neck." This possible connection suggests that the name may have initially referred to a distinctive physical characteristic or occupation related to the neck area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the DECOU surname can be found in the tax rolls of Normandy, dated around 1380. These records mention a certain "Jean Decou," indicating the presence of the name in the region during that time. Additionally, variations of the spelling, such as "Decoux" and "Decoux," have been documented in various historical documents from the same era.

In the 16th century, the DECOU name appears to have spread beyond the northern regions of France, with records indicating individuals bearing the surname in other parts of the country. One notable example is Jacques Decou, a merchant from Bordeaux, who was born in 1542 and played a significant role in the local trade guild during his lifetime.

During the 17th century, the DECOU surname gained recognition through the work of Jean-Baptiste Decou, a renowned French architect born in 1619. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings in Paris, including the Church of Saint-Thomas-d'Aquin and the Hôtel de Soubise, now housing the National Archives of France.

As the centuries progressed, the DECOU name continued to be associated with notable figures. In the 18th century, Marie-Francoise Decou, born in 1738, gained recognition as a respected painter and portraitist, with her works exhibited at the prestigious Paris Salon.

Moving into the 19th century, the DECOU surname gained international recognition through the work of Louis-Antoine Decou, a French explorer and naturalist born in 1815. He was renowned for his expeditions to South America, where he documented numerous plant and animal species, contributing significantly to the field of natural history.

Throughout its history, the DECOU surname has been linked to various localities and place names within France. Some examples include Decou-la-Ville and Decou-le-Bourg, which were small villages or hamlets that may have influenced the development of the surname in certain regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Decou

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Decou.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Decou was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Decou has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Decou was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Decou, please contact us.

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